The one thing about Zingari-Richmond is that it is a battler.
It is not flash. It has never been one of the glamour boys. It has never had the rock stars of University, nor the mafia of Dunedin, nor the history of Southern.
When its clubrooms burned down in 1985, the club rolled its sleeves up, built a new building and paid it off through raffles and all sorts of fundraising ventures.
In some ways, that battling persona and relaxed attitude may have led to the position in which it now finds itself.
The club has always been reliant on players from the immediate area. But as these have dropped off over the past few years, it has become short in player numbers.
Zingari-Richmond did not field a premier two side this season and had only one colts team.
Otago Colts co-coach John Keenan, who coached the Zingari premier team in 2008-09, said the biggest issue for the premier side this year was player recruitment and retention.
"It takes at least three years for a club like Zingari to get a side together and start getting some results. You've got to create a culture for the club and create a good environment, get in some good coaches and, dare I say it with this modern generation, players have their hand out," he said.
"Players do want a bit more these days. Once they are there and find what happens in the club and start building a culture of their own, they are fine.
"But I found it was hard to get players away from other clubs to come, as they had a culture at their club."
Every club denies it but players do receive incentives, and not just a thank you and a pat on the back after the game.
It may be a feed on Thursday night after training or some beer after the game.
Keenan, who played in the front row for Zingari more than 20 years ago, said when he played the club sourced its players from local schools.
But as that supply has dried up, it has had to look to the university, as has every other club in Dunedin.
"I think in my last year coaching we had three guys working in a squad of 23. And most of those students are transients who leave. In the old days, you had students but they were local guys who had ties with the club."
The majority of players who have left the club over the past couple of years have gone overseas or moved out of town. Keenan felt Zingari would bounce back next year if demoted, as there was a big difference between the two premier grades.
Gary Beattie, who played more than 150 premier games for Zingari, said player turnover had been the major hurdle this year.
He was in a side which made it to the final in 2000, but that side took three years to build.
"We had a core there that had been together for a while and grown together. These new guys haven't had the time to learn," he said.
He fears what would happen if the colours did get demoted.
"It would not be good. Look at Taieri - it took them eight years to recover. And with us being a suburban club, I don't know whether we'd recover. Taieri at least had no-one else to compete with."
The club had plans to try to recruit some more players, but that was for next year.
For now, it is all about Saturday.
Chris Bell will lead the side into battle on Saturday and said the team was fully aware of the history of the club.
The side had had a two-week break before resuming training last week.
"All the boys know about the history of the club. The 128 years of existence.
"If they don't know about it now then they never will.
"We have plenty of pride in the jersey, and know what this game means to the club."
Zingari-Richmond - The facts
• Formed: 1887 from Zingari (1878) and Richmond (1884).
• Home ground: Montecillo.
• All Blacks: Sandy Paterson, James Baird, Joe Proctor, Rex Orr, Norm Wilson, Dick Conway, Keith Murdoch, Duncan Robertson, Joe McDonnell.
• Recent form: Ninth, 2006; seventh, 2007; seventh, 2008; eighth, 2009; 10th, 2010.